Ethnicity and the Writing of Medieval Scottish history

Hammond, M.H. (2006) Ethnicity and the Writing of Medieval Scottish history. Scottish Historical Review, 85(1), pp. 1-27.

Abstract

Historians have long tended to define medieval Scottish society in terms of interactions between ethnic groups. This approach was developed over the course of the long nineteenth century, a formative period for the study of medieval Scotland. At that time, many scholars based their analysis upon scientific principles, long since debunked, which held that medieval 'peoples' could only be understood in terms of 'full ethnic packages'. This approach was combined with a positivist historical narrative that defined Germanic Anglo-Saxons and Normans as the harbingers of advances of Civilisation. While the prejudices of that era have largely faded away, the modern discipline still relies all too often on a dualistic ethnic framework. This is particularly evident in a structure of periodisation that draws a clear line between the 'Celtic' eleventh century and the 'Norman' twelfth. Furthermore, dualistic oppositions based on ethnicity continue, particularly in discussions of the law, kingship, lordship and religion.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Ethnicity, medieval Scotland, historiography, Celtic Scotland, Normans
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hammond, Dr Matthew
• Authors: Hammond, M.H.
• Subjects: D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D111 Medieval History
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > History
• Journal Name: Scottish Historical Review
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• ISSN: 0036-9241
• ISSN (Online): 1750-0222
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2006 Edinburgh University Press
• First Published: First published in The Scottish Historical Review 85(1):1-27
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher